Riverfield takes the typical Pre-School experience from ordinary to extraordinary. It is a unique experience, a place that honors and values children with a tradition of promoting creativity, investigation and discovery in a safe, caring environment. At Riverfield, the child’s relationships with peers, teachers, families, the environment and resources are key to building a firm foundation for social, emotional, intellectual, physical, and moral success.

Reggio Emilia

Riverfield takes inspiration from the philosophy and pedagogy of the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. After its town was destroyed in World War II, the parents in Reggio Emilia decided it needed to redouble the value and attention it placed on its children if it was to rebuild successfully. The resulting philosophy and model for early childhood education has been hailed as exemplary (Newsweek, 1991). The Reggio Emilia approach to education is committed to the creation of an environment for child-led learning, or learning that enhances and facilitates each child’s construction of “his or her own powers of thinking through the synthesis of all the expressive, communicative, and cognitive languages” (Edwards and Forman, 1993.

All on the pre-school faculty have participated in Reggio Emilia Conferences hosted at Riverfield, nationally, as well as in Reggio Emilia, Italy. In 2009, Riverfield is honored to be hosting a travelling Reggio Emilia exhibit from Italy entitled Hundred Languages of Children.

Teacher and Family Support for Children

Teachers facilitate the learning process, actively listening to and observing the children, and then plan and scaffold short and long term investigations that uncover the children’s ideas, hypotheses and theories about the world around them. In this way, no two years are ever alike! Teachers also journal the process along the way and so can provide a daily “Today We” notice to parents as well as a number of wonderful documents, photos and notes specific to each child. In this way, parents are aware of exactly what has happened during the school day and can help the child share that at home. The Riverfield program recognizes Families as the primary teachers of the children and so values family participation as an integral part of Riverfield and the classroom.

To schedule a private tour to learn more about our renowned preschool program, please call 446-3553 or email Admissions.

Brochures

Infants - PreSchool(.pdf)

Primary School (.pdf)

Middle School (4th - 5th) (.pdf)

Middle School (6th - 8th) (.pdf)